Is Pride A Sin?

Q. I have a question about pride. In our Bible study last night, someone said that he didn’t agree that pride is all that bad. His example was that he takes pride in his job, not so much in the job title, but that he takes pride in doing a good job at what he does.

Other members of the group brought up the issue of motives and that we do all for the glory and honor of God. And that sin is compared to leaven in the OT in that leaven puffs up and that is what pride does, it puffs us up.

My question is, are we straining at mere use of words, or should we take “pride” in making sure we do a good job, or is all pride (in whatever form) sin?

A. Right from the beginning, it was pride that caused all the trouble. Satan’s pride, as evidenced in Isaiah 14: 13-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-17, caused his downfall. Cain’s pride was wounded when his offering was rejected, resulting in the first recorded murder. Job’s pride blinded him to the sin of self righteousness that left him open to Satan’s attack, the Pharisees were so infected with Spiritual Pride that they didn’t think they needed a savior. The list goes on and on.

The use of leaven to symbolize sin is no coincidence. In the process of rising, leaven corrupts the dough through fermentation. Just so are we corrupted as pride causes us to be “puffed up.”

Taking pride in our work denies our Creator the credit He deserves for having invested in us the capabilities required to do it. The Bible tells us to do everything as if to the Lord (Ephes. 6:7, Colossians 4:23), as an offering of praise to Him. To every compliment we receive, every “well done” we hear, even the sense of satisfaction we feel, our response should be “Thank you Lord.”

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